May the peoples praise you, God; may all the peoples praise you! May the nations be glad and rejoice; for you judge the peoples with fairness, you guide the nations upon the earth. – Psalm 67:4-5
Prayer: May All the People Praise You
“We are not to be like chameleons, lizards which change their color according to their surroundings, but to stand out visibly against our surroundings” (John Stott, 1921-2011).
Holy Bible And Cross On American Flag
Christ Jesus: You have claimed us as Your own and we are called by Your name –
+ May your Kingdom come, your will be done in us
+ May we demonstrate with our lives, what Kingdom life is like in an essentially alien and hostile environment
+ May we be prepared to give a reason for the hope we have in You
+ May our homes, our families, our relationships reflect the difference that You make in our lives
+ May we count our blessings every day, and share them just as freely as we have received them
+ May we be shining beacons of peace, love and joy that draw others home to You.
And, once again, Lord – may America be the “shining city on a hill” envisioned by the Pilgrims – “a beacon, still a magnet for all who must have freedom, for all the pilgrims from all the lost places who are hurtling through the darkness, toward home.” (Ronald Reagan) Amen.
“Psalm 67 (May All the People Praise You)” – Come to the Fire Worship
+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit – one God forever. Amen.
But you are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may announce the praises” of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. – 1 Peter 2:9
Prayer: Out of Darkness into God’s Wonderful Light
Blessed are you, Lord God: Blessed are you for ever. Holy is your name: Blessed are you for ever. Great is your mercy for your people: Blessed are you for ever.
Lord God: Call America out of darkness into your wonderful light.
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we praise you and give you glory: we bless you for calling us to be your holy people. Remain in our hearts, and guide us in our love and service. Help us to let our light shine before others and lead them to the way of faith. Holy Trinity of love, We praise you now and for ever.
Lord God: Call America out of darkness into your wonderful light.
We praise you, Father of all; we thank you for calling us to be your people, and for choosing us to give you glory. Cleanse our hearts and our lives with your holy word and make our prayer pleasing to you. Guide us by your Spirit as we follow in the paths of Jesus our brother. All glory and praise are yours, Father, for ever and ever.
Lord God: Call America out of darkness into your wonderful light.
We give glory to the Father through the Son in the Holy Spirit, for God has made us his people, his Church, and calls us to sing his praises. All honor and glory and thanks are his, and praise and worship belong to him. To God be glory in his Church for ever and ever!
Lord God: Call America out of darkness into your wonderful light.
We will not give in to despair and lose hope! God will bless those who call upon His name in prayer. We will vote on November 8 for religious liberty, for the right to life, and for a safe and secure America in which all people of good will may live and prosper.
Lord God: Call America out of darkness into your wonderful light.
+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit – one God forever. Amen.
This Nov. 8, American voters will decide what is arguably the most consequential presidential election in decades. Maybe ever. Two major party candidates are being offered to voters. Two distinct visions are being cast.
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Where They Stand
“Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
Then the people answered, “Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods….” – Joshua 24:14-16 (ESV)
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Supreme Court
Hillary Clinton
Clinton told the Washington Times: “I would not appoint someone who didn’t think Roe v. Wade is settled law.”
On the Texas abortion decision, Clinton praised the justices’ 5-3 decision that severely limits the ability of states to regulate abortion.
On judicial appointments, Clinton said she would strive to appoint judges in the mold of liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor.
Donald Trump
Trump has praised the late Antonin Scalia as a model justice, saying Scalia’s career was “defined by his reverence for the Constitution …”
On the Texas abortion decision, Trump harshly criticized the justices who overturned the law and questioned their judgment.
On judicial appointments, Trump released a list of potential conservative justices vetted in consultation with the Heritage Foundation and Federalist Society.
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Prayer: King Jesus, You rule with righteousness and justice for all. You are the defender of the weak and unprotected. Restore our legal system to its God-given roots in the Ten Commandments as codified in our county’s Constitution and Bill of Rights. Give us new Justices of the Supreme Court who will seek after your heart and rule according to the original intent of our Founders. And above all, may they be passionate defenders of life – from beginning to end. Amen.
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Religious Liberty
Hillary Clinton
Clinton suggests that women’s abortion rights supersede religious liberty, saying: “Deep-seated cultural codes, religious beliefs and structural biases have to be changed.”
On public expression, Clinton opposes the practice of bakers, photographers and other business owners declining services for samesex weddings due to faith-based reasons, saying “it’s outrageous” to be “denied a wedding cake for being gay.”
Donald Trump
Trump said, “Religious freedom [is] the right of people of faith to freely practice their faith. [It is] so important.”
On public expression, Trump vowed to “protect Christians” during a convocation speech at Liberty University.
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Prayer: Lord Jesus, we have dishonored you, by allowing intimidation and fear to silence our Christian witness. In short, we have gone along to get along. Forgive our passivity, Lord, which has allowed the ungodly to drive us into hiding behind the walls of our churches. We have allowed religious freedom to be redefined solely as the right to worship (preferably in silence.) Give us the Spirit of power, and love, and sound mind – that we may, once again, assert our right to speak the truth of the Gospel with boldness in the public square. Amen.
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Abortion
Hillary Clinton
Clinton said, “I support Roe versus Wade because I think it is an important … statement about the importance of a woman making this most difficult decision …”
On late-term abortion, Clinton said during a Fox News debate she favors allowing restrictions on late-term abortions with “exceptions for the life and health of the mother.”
On funding Planned Parenthood, Clinton told Planned Parenthood leaders that Republicans should join her in calling for greater taxpayer funding for the abortion giant if they really care about women.
Donald Trump
Trump said, “I hate the concept of abortion. And since [being pro-choice] I’ve very much evolved. … And I am very, very proud to say that I am pro-life.”
On late-term abortion, Trump told Bloomberg News in January that he believes abortion should be banned at some point in pregnancy, with exceptions for rape, incest or life of the mother.
On funding Planned Parenthood, Trump has said, “The abortion aspect of Planned Parenthood should absolutely not be funded,” adding that he might consider funding for the non-abortion services of Planned Parenthood.
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Prayer: Life is the “sine qua non” of our rights and freedoms in America. Amazing God, you have created humankind in your image and have shaped us in our mothers’ wombs. Before we were born our days were numbered and a unique plan worked out for our lives. We are wonderfully made. Forgive us, as a country and as individuals, for denying the basic “right to life” to the weakest and most vulnerable among us. And forgive us for compounding our sins by allowing the sale of body parts from our dead children. Lord, deliver our country from the evil that is abortion. Amen.
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National Security
Hillary Clinton
Clinton said, “We must be prepared … to go after terrorists wherever they plot using all the tools at our disposal.”
On LGBT agenda in the military, last year Clinton promised to push for transgender troops to serve openly—something President Obama approved in June to Clinton’s applause.
On the Iran nuclear deal, Clinton said she supports the deal on a “distrust but verify” condition. She said, “I would not support this agreement for one second if I thought it would put Israel in greater danger.”
Donald Trump
Trump said, ”You have to fight fire with fire. We have to be so strong. We have to fight so viciously. And violently because we’re dealing with violent people …”
On LGBT agenda in the military, Trump hasn’t directly addressed this issue. For background, he criticized the high court’s gay marriage decision, but he has been inconsistent on issues related to transgender people.
On the Iran nuclear deal, Trump has said Obama should have backed out because it is a “bad deal” and that American negotiators were outwitted. He called it “total incompetence.”
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Prayer: Mighty God, you have, at times, released the force of Heaven’s Armies on those who have opposed you. And, you have utilized the strength and power of earthly armies to accomplish your purposes. Mighty God, we desperately need your guidance and direction in our world today. Forgive America for misusing our military power and creating chaos and endless suffering especially in the Middle East. Give us wisdom and sound judgment in our foreign policy decisions. Strengthen and prepare our military for warfighting so that we may credibly keep the peace. And may we restore and repair our friendship with countries like Israel, Jordan, and Egypt. Amen.
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+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit – one God forever. Amen.
The Peanut Gallery 